Efficacy of Pegylated Interferon on Liver Fibrosis in Co-infected Patient With HIV and Hepatitis C

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The aim of this study is to prove the efficacy of peginterferon in HIV infected patients with liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) when the treatment to eradicate the virus failed. This scientific proof needs a comparative study to be done including two groups of patients randomly allocated: one with the treatment (peginterferon) and the other without any treatment against HCV with a duration of 2 years. To conclude, two liver biopsies are needed; one before the study and a second 2 years after.

C hepatitis in HIV infected patient becomes a major issue although the survival of patients, has improved in the last decades regarding to the advent of HAART, the mortality related to liver disease has increased in this population. Sustained virological response for HCV can be obtained with peg-interferon and ribavirin treatment but more or less 50% of patients experienced failure to this treatment and liver fibrosis due to HCV infection progress and may lead to cirrhosis and hepato-carcinoma. To demonstrate the efficacy of peginterferon therapy to reduce the liver damage causes by HCV infection, a randomised controlled study is needed comparing one group of patient treated by peginterferon and one group without any treatment against HCV infection. In order to show 30% difference between the two groups in reducing one point of fibrosis score (METAVIR scale), 150 patients are needed. The duration of the study is 96 weeks

All antiretroviral drugs are allowed, their choice being left to the discretion of the investigator. Particular attention will be carried to the patients with antiretroviral susceptible to cause a cumulative toxicity with anti-VHC drugs

Placebo Comparator: HIV antiretroviral therapy

Day0 to week 96: HIV antiretroviral therapy

Drug: HIV antiretroviral therapy

All antiretroviral drugs are allowed, their choice being left to the discretion of the investigator. Particular attention will be carried to the patients with antiretroviral susceptible to cause a cumulative toxicity with anti-VHC drugs

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Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

HIV infection (Western Blot +)

C hepatitis (RNA viral hepatitis C [VHC] +)

Chronic active C hepatitis on liver histological score METAVIR (A over or equal to 1 and F over or equal to 2) on biopsy performed at least 18 months before the expected date of inclusion

Previous treatment for C hepatitis for at least 3 months including peg-interferon and ribavirin or peg-interferon alone if counterindication for ribavirin occurred

Failure to eradicate C hepatitis virus after well conducted treatment

The liver biopsy should have been realised at least 18 months before inclusion :

Either before treatment for C hepatitis in patients treated at most 7 months Or at least 6 months after anti HCV treatment in patient treated for more than 7 months (wash out period)